“You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.” {Psalm 139:5, NIV}

While luggage was being toted from outside to inside the hotel, Momma and Daddy were trying hard to hold it together, trying not to unravel. And how does one keep from falling apart when their youngest, only thirteen months old, had been diagnosed with kidney cancer?

“May I walk upstairs?” asked Little Bit, the oldest, nearly three.

“Yes, but please be careful.”

First step … second step … the hem of her pink flowered gingham dress with eyelet trim dragged along the stairs. Her long bangs had been whisked up in a ponytail on top with a matching pink bow. Tiny baby bangs wisped her forehead. Her big blue eyes were focused on the next step.

Little Bit and Momma were inseparable. When she wasn’t walking in Momma’s shoes, sitting in her lap for a good book, or following her feet, she was resting on Momma’s hip. “Joined at the hip,” Daddy had always teased. And in those days, it was hard to compete for that hip with a younger sister, especially now with the diagnosis.

Garmented with exhaustion and concern, Momma had never felt more attacked by the enemy. Running to God before the storm was her saving grace. Bible study and babies were her life, and for those babies, many years she had prayed. Regardless of the outcome, she was confident God would deliver them through this storm. Momma and Daddy had agreed on that two hour drive to the hotel near the hospital – their baby was God’s and not theirs.

Since the diagnosis earlier that day, where she had rocked her sleeping baby in that hospital rocking chair, with a tear-streaked face she patterned her spare moments after Jesus, escaping to a quiet, solitary place. She fell on her face and cried out to God to spare her baby.

Momma realized that often in the unraveling, we realize how precious we are to Him. In the unraveling, we sense God’s gentle tugging on our heartstrings.

She knew the only way to be grabbed by the hem of her garment was to grab the Lord by the precious hem of His.

Out of that solitary place, busyness kept Momma’s mind off the hardship. Time wouldn’t allow her to think about the upcoming surgery, just days away, or about her littlest losing that precious right kidney, let alone possibly her life.

After carrying her luggage into that hotel room, focusing one step at a time, Momma laid all her burdens down. Turning around and glancing up the stairwell, she saw her three year old falling, head over heels, cartwheel style, just like in the movies. Hands reached out, grabbing Little Bit by her dress’s hem. The grip was sure and firm. Little Bit came to a sudden stop. Coming within an inch, she never touched that floor.

Momma knew she had received a miracle from God. Oh, yes I did. And she thanked Him for saving Little Bit, now 16-years-old, and later for saving Littlest, now 14-years-old, from cancer some thirteen years ago.

Reach hands out.

Grab Him by the hem of His garment.

Hold firmly to Him who is head over heels for you.

Follow Him who will grab you by the hem when you fall.

“And she came nigh behind, and touched the hem of his cloak.” {Luke 8:44 Wycliffe}

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